USS Houston Wreck Found in Pacific Ocean

On the night of February 28, 1942, the USS Houston, nicknamed “The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast,” was engaged in a naval skirmish in the Battle of Sunda Strait off the coast of Java. The battle was precipitated by a Japanese attempt to invade the island of Java on February 27, an attempt that was halted by the efforts of the USS Houston and the HMAS Perth. Unfortunately, the USS Houston and HMAS Perth would intersect the path of multiple Japanese ships during a routine deploy through the Sunda Strait on February 28, and both ships would eventually be sunk by the Japanese forces. At the time of her demise, the USS Houston was carrying 1,068 crewmen - 700 sailors and Marines died when the ship sunk and another 291 sailors and soldiers would survive, only to be taken as prisoners of war by the Japanese.

Unfortunately, the ship did not remain undiscovered throughout its underwater stay. Divers have reported signs of human interference with the ship, noting the removal of hull rivets, a metal plate, and an unexploded ordnance. To make matters worse, the crew also discovered that the hull is actively leaking oil.

"In my discussions with our Indonesian navy partners, they share our sense of obligation to protect this and other gravesites. Surveying the site, of course was only the first step in partnering to respect those sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the freedoms and security that we richly enjoy today," stated U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Harry Harris.